Cattell Elementary School

Summary:

Cattell Elementary School is a public elementary school in Des Moines, Iowa, serving 322 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Des Moines Independent Community School District, which is ranked 301 out of 309 school districts in the state.

Cattell Elementary has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 27.64% White, 20.5% African American, 34.47% Hispanic, 6.52% Asian, 0.93% Native American, 0.31% Pacific Islander, and 9.63% two or more races. Academically, the school has shown mixed performance, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics generally higher than the district average but lower than the state average. For example, in 5th grade English Language Arts, Cattell had a 74.4% proficiency rate, compared to 50% for the district and 69% for the state. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 84.78% to 89.82% over the past three school years.

When compared to nearby schools within the same district, Cattell Elementary is performing better academically than some of its counterparts. For instance, in the 2023-2024 school year, Cattell's 5th grade English Language Arts proficiency rate of 74.4% was significantly higher than the rates at Edmunds Elementary (41.3%), Garton Elementary (31.3%), and Moulton Elementary (42.6%). However, Cattell's statewide ranking has been declining over the past several years, suggesting the school may face ongoing challenges in improving student outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-5

3101 E 12th St
Des Moines, IA 50316

(515) 242-8403

District: Des Moines Independent Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
443^rd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,110

Students who attend Cattell Elementary School usually attend:

High:

North High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.5

Number of students: 308

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

34.1%

White:

26.0%

African American:

21.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.9%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Cattell Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cattell Elementary School ranks worse than 79.5% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 10^th among 38 ranked elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.42. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Cattell Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (34.1%), White (26%), African American (21.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cattell Elementary School is 10.5, which is the lowest among 42 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Cattell Elementary School employs 29.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cattell Elementary School is $16,110, which is the 21^st highest among 38 elementary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Cattell Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Des Moines Independent Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Des Moines Independent Community School District 301^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cattell Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	9.76	594^th	626	5.1%
2013	4.69	606^th	624	2.9%
2014	11.26	553^rd	603	8.3%
2015	12.89	560^th	616	9.1%
2016	15.59	532^nd	599	11.2%
2017	14.74	507^th	574	11.7%
2018	12.42	510^th	567	10.1%
2019	10.04	566^th	603	6.1%
2021	11.50	525^th	567	7.4%
2022	13.71	519^th	574	9.6%
2023	19.47	483^rd	565	14.5%
2024	29.42	443^rd	557	20.5%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cattell Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	326	17	12	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	361
1989	325	18	5	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	354
1990	330	20	7	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	367
1991	315	23	7	9	3	n/a	n/a	0	357
1992	315	23	8	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	354
1993	339	37	8	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	396
1994	356	36	17	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	427
1995	381	41	24	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	467
1996	381	41	24	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	467
1997	360	32	24	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	437
1998	343	44	27	35	3	n/a	n/a	0	452
1999	337	43	27	36	2	n/a	n/a	0	445
2000	354	51	21	36	1	n/a	n/a	-30	433
2001	346	73	20	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	478
2002	278	68	25	34	2	n/a	n/a	0	407
2003	278	68	25	34	2	n/a	n/a	0	407
2004	268	66	27	42	2	n/a	n/a	0	405
2005	241	62	22	28	1	n/a	n/a	0	354
2006	202	63	24	40	0	n/a	n/a	0	329
2007	173	76	28	58	1	n/a	n/a	0	336
2008	141	70	36	108	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
2009	152	88	38	120	1	n/a	n/a	0	399
2010	121	73	38	136	0	0	25	0	393
2011	109	84	44	141	1	0	26	0	405
2012	115	71	38	144	0	0	25	0	393
2013	113	75	39	157	1	0	23	0	408
2014	121	69	39	148	5	0	29	0	411
2015	100	75	40	146	5	0	30	0	396
2016	106	74	32	141	6	0	29	0	388
2017	108	75	37	133	4	0	35	0	392
2018	117	87	37	121	5	0	43	0	410
2019	117	87	30	113	8	0	42	0	397
2020	105	102	28	124	5	3	35	0	402
2021	99	93	29	126	4	3	39	0	393
2022	91	87	30	117	3	1	38	0	367
2023	89	66	21	111	3	1	31	0	322
2024	80	67	26	105	0	3	27	0	308

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cattell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	361	22.1	16.3	29.6
1989	354	1.5	236.0	31.4
1990	367	20.8	17.6	28.3
1991	357	24.2	14.7	24.1
1992	354	23.0	15.3	23.4
1993	396	24.4	16.2	22
1994	427	29.3	14.6	24.1
1995	467	27.5	17.0	28.1
1996	467	27.5	17.0	28.1
1997	437	27.5	15.9	36.8
1998	452	27.5	16.4	36.3
1999	445	27.1	16.4	52.4
2000	433	29.7	14.6	48.4
2001	478	30.4	15.7	52.1
2002	407	30.0	13.6	52.6
2003	407	30.0	13.6	52.6
2004	405	29.2	13.9	56.5
2005	354	26.3	13.5	59.3
2006	329	24.8	13.3	68.4
2007	336	23.8	14.1	64.6
2008	355	27.5	12.9	76.9
2009	399	28.0	14.3	79.4
2010	393	29.4	13.3	84.2
2011	405	30.6	13.2	86.2
2012	393	31.6	12.4	85.8
2013	408	30.5	13.3	86.3
2014	411	32.3	12.7	81.3
2015	396	33.0	12.0	83.6
2016	388	33.0	11.7	89.7
2017	392	30.8	12.7	85.7
2018	410	30.8	13.3	88
2019	397	28.7	13.8	90.9
2020	402	29.9	13.4	88.1
2021	393	31.4	12.5	89.8
2022	367	29.9	12.2	88.8
2023	322	29.1	11.0	84.8
2024	308	29.1	10.5	78.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cattell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	361	22.1	16.3	29.6
1989	354	1.5	236.0	31.4
1990	367	20.8	17.6	28.3
1991	357	24.2	14.7	24.1
1992	354	23.0	15.3	23.4
1993	396	24.4	16.2	22
1994	427	29.3	14.6	24.1
1995	467	27.5	17.0	28.1
1996	467	27.5	17.0	28.1
1997	437	27.5	15.9	36.8
1998	452	27.5	16.4	36.3
1999	445	27.1	16.4	52.4
2000	433	29.7	14.6	48.4
2001	478	30.4	15.7	52.1
2002	407	30.0	13.6	52.6
2003	407	30.0	13.6	52.6
2004	405	29.2	13.9	56.5
2005	354	26.3	13.5	59.3
2006	329	24.8	13.3	68.4
2007	336	23.8	14.1	64.6
2008	355	27.5	12.9	76.9
2009	399	28.0	14.3	79.4
2010	393	29.4	13.3	84.2
2011	405	30.6	13.2	86.2
2012	393	31.6	12.4	85.8
2013	408	30.5	13.3	86.3
2014	411	32.3	12.7	81.3
2015	396	33.0	12.0	83.6
2016	388	33.0	11.7	89.7
2017	392	30.8	12.7	85.7
2018	410	30.8	13.3	88
2019	397	28.7	13.8	90.9
2020	402	29.9	13.4	88.1
2021	393	31.4	12.5	89.8
2022	367	29.9	12.2	88.8
2023	322	29.1	11.0	84.8
2024	308	29.1	10.5	78.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cattell Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,920 (11.9%)	$14,190 (88.1%)	$16,110

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cattell Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 566^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 483^rd of 565 Elementary schools	8.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cattell Elementary School)	33.3	37.9	4.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	44	43.3	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cattell Elementary School)	49.1	48.3	0.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	52	52.1	0.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cattell Elementary School)	67.2	68.8	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	49.7	52.4	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cattell Elementary School)	53.4	75	21.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	50.9	47.6	3.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cattell Elementary School)	28.4	48.9	20.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	46.5	49.5	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cattell Elementary School)	29.9	55.6	25.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Des Moines Independent Community School District)	48.4	51.6	3.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	397	322	18.9%
African American	87	66	24.1%
American Indian	8	3	62.5%
Asian	30	21	30%
Hispanic	113	111	1.8%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	117	89	23.9%
Two or More Races	42	31	26.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	90.9%	84.8%	6.1%

Schools Near Cattell Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cattell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3101 E 12th St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8403	308	29	10.5	78.9%	80 (26.0%)	67 (21.8%)	105 (34.1%)	26 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	27 (8.8%)	29.4	443^rd of 557 public elementary schools	20.5%		19.5	483^rd of 565 public elementary schools	14.5%	40	50.0	56.5	74.4	50.0	51.6	79.1	53.5	$16,110	$1,920	$14,190
Madison Elementary School	Public	K-5	806 E Hoffman St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8420	247	22	11.4	80.6%	56 (22.7%)	10 (4.0%)	126 (51.0%)	32 (13.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (8.5%)	4.9	538^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.4%		2.7	555^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.8%	17	40.0	50.0	31.6	53.3	52.6	31.6	26.3	$18,238	$1,698	$16,540
Findley Elementary School	Public	K-5	3025 Oxford Street	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8407	284	25	11.4	80.6%	77 (27.1%)	57 (20.1%)	77 (27.1%)	46 (16.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	24 (8.5%)	10.2	513^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.9%		11	520^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.0%	7	41.5	43.2	49.0	43.9	43.2	57.1	46.9	$16,683	$1,316	$15,366
Oak Park	Public	K-5	3928 6th Avenue	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8428	309	27	11.4	80.6%	83 (26.9%)	87 (28.2%)	93 (30.1%)	21 (6.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.1%)	2.7	546^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.0%		4.3	546^th of 565 public elementary schools	3.4%		38.9	50.9	36.0	41.7	30.2	29.4	25.5	$16,793	$1,701	$15,092
Garton Elementary	Public	K-5	2820 E 24th St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8408	429	36	11.8	77.6%	96 (22.4%)	62 (14.5%)	171 (39.9%)	65 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	32 (7.5%)	12.4	499^th of 557 public elementary schools	10.4%		3.1	552^nd of 565 public elementary schools	2.3%	53	44.4	46.7	31.3	77.8	49.3	46.9	26.6	$16,721	$1,650	$15,072
Moulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1541 8th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8427	450	35	12.9	88.2%	37 (8.2%)	211 (46.9%)	149 (33.1%)	25 (5.6%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.3%)	7.2	526^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.6%		3.3	551^st of 565 public elementary schools	2.5%	25	31.0	40.3	42.6	29.3	38.8	63.9	36.1	$16,426	$1,675	$14,751
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	705 E University Ave	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8418	419	36	11.7	87.4%	34 (8.1%)	100 (23.9%)	248 (59.2%)	17 (4.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.8%)	3.7	544^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.3%		0.8	564^th of 565 public elementary schools	0.2%	20	31.0	44.1	32.2	48.3	50.8	45.8	25.4	$17,672	$1,648	$16,024
Jessie Franklin Taylor	Public	PK	1801 16th Street	Des Moines	50314	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8424	194	11	17.3	82.5%	36 (18.6%)	71 (36.6%)	54 (27.8%)	18 (9.3%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (6.2%)								(n/a)
Phillips Elementary	Public	K-5	1701 Lay St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8431	254	24	10.7	68.9%	134 (52.8%)	22 (8.7%)	75 (29.5%)	7 (2.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.5%)	11.5	504^th of 557 public elementary schools	9.5%		21.7	471^st of 565 public elementary schools	16.6%	33	50.0	34.2	55.6	61.8	47.4	53.3	31.1	$16,246	$669	$15,577
Capitol View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	320 E. 16th	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8402	545	44	12.3	85.3%	108 (19.8%)	103 (18.9%)	290 (53.2%)	18 (3.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.4%)	5.3	532^nd of 557 public elementary schools	4.5%		5.2	542^nd of 565 public elementary schools	4.1%	10	33.3	50.7	46.0	50.0	50.7	38.1	31.7	$18,793	$3,389	$15,405

Frequently Asked Questions about Cattell Elementary School

What district is Cattell Elementary School in?

Des Moines Independent Community School District

Is Cattell Elementary School a good school?

Cattell Elementary School ranks in the bottom 20.5% of Iowa elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Cattell Elementary School?

Students at Cattell Elementary School are 34% Hispanic, 26% White, 22% African American, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

How many students attend Cattell Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 308 students attended Cattell Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Cattell Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Cattell Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : North High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.